Grapple hook means



L. H. GAULKE ETAL GRAPPLE HOOK MEANS Filed July 15, 1948 INVENTOR. LOUISH. Gaulke Frederic J.Goulke AHorne y April 29, 1952 Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED: STATES PATENT G'FFICE 2,594,908 GRAPPLE HOOK MEANS LouisH. Gaulke, Marshfield, Wis., and- Fred J. Gaulke, Oak Park, Ill.

Application Juiy.15,. 1948, Serial No. 38,786

An important object of our invention is to provide adevice of the above mentioned character, having an elongated tube and a connecting rod with resilient grapplin means attached to the end thereof, which may be manipulated from the handle portion in order to remove objects such' as stones from post holes or for recovering objects from inaccessible places such as the bottoms of deep holes in the ground where the human hand could not reach same.

A further object of our invention, is to provide adjustable bracket clamping means ior holding a source of illumination, such as a flash-light at a point or position on the elongated tube, so that thebeams of ,light may be directed at the bottom of the-hole to. illuminate theobject to be recovered.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a device for removing or recovering objects from the aforementioned inaccessible places, in which the above mentioned bracket clamp may also be positioned at the top end of the extended tube and have a mirror clamped therein, for the purpose of directing rays of sun light into the hole or inaccessible place.

Other objects and advantages embraced in our invention will be disclosed in the following description, and in the accompanying illustrations, in which like parts are designated by like numerals, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in crosssection of our invention; showing it with a flashlight clamped into position and being operated to remove a stone from a hole.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in crosssection; showing the clamping action of the grappling arm elements comprising a part of our invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken substantially on line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of our invention; showin a mirror clamped in the bracket clamp thereof, and showing light rays being reflected downwardly.

Referring to the illustrations; our invention is generally designated 5, and consists of a tube element 6, having the top end thereof peened over to provide a reduced opening I, which acts as a bearing for a connecting rod element 8. This said connecting rod element 8 has a handle portion 9 at its upper end on its lower or tip portion H! are fixed the ends of a number of resilient grappling arm elements I I; held securely in place by a retaining collar I3, as best shown in Figures-1 and 2. The free ends of the resilient grappling arm elements I l are bent inwardlyto 'p'mviae'engaging portions l2.

Adjustable bracket clamp means l4 consists of a clamping portion 15, which fits over and clamps on to thetube element 6, and held. in. adjustment by a thumb screw I'Lin the tapped opening lt ofthe saidclampingportion 15.

A bracket element 20 is articulately mounted on thebracket engagingportion l8, by a universal joint 19, and is provided with clamping ears2l. The said bracket element fiilfisad'justable'to a flash-light 24 era mirror 25, by means of a shoul der thumb screw 23 through one oftheclamping ears 2i, and into the tapped opening 22 of the' mating clampin ear 2 l A preferred method of using our invention, is to clamp a flash-light 24 in the bracketelement 29 which together: with. its attaching bracketv clamp means [4 is adjusted to a point near the lower end of the tube element 6.

The grappling device is thrust with the grappling arm element downward, into an inaccessible place, such as a hole designated 26 in the ground 27, and is held by hands designated 34 and 35 as shown in phantom lines in Figure 1, one hand 34 graspin tube 8 the other hand 35 grasping handle portion 9.

The resilient grappling arm elements H, which are shown in extended position in Figure 1 are maneuvered so that the engaging portions I2 encompass an object, such as a stone 28 to be removed from the hole 26.

The hand, designated 35, makes a downward movement with tube element 6, in the direction of arrow 32, while the handle 9 is held stationary by the hand designated 34. The said downward movement of tube 6 causes the arm engaging edge 33 at the bottom end thereof to engage the resilient grappling arm elements II, and causes them to converge until the bent engaging portions 12 engage and grip the stone 28 as shown in Figure 2.

The said engaging edge 33, also serves as a friction lock against the resilient grappling arm elements ll, locking and holding the engaging portions l2 about the stone 28; so that the-said stone 28 may be removed from hole 26. When the grappling device 5 has been removed from hole 26, the stone 28 may be released therefrom,

by pulling upwardly on tube 6, releasing the en, gagement between edge 33 and resilient grappling arm elements II.

A second method of illuminating the hole 26, is

by moving the adjustable bracket clamp means I4 to a position above the edge of the opening of hole 26, and placing a mirror 25 within bracket element 20, and articulating the said bracket clamp with mirror 25 to such an angle as to direct rays 30 of sun light, in a downward direction, as designated 3| and shown in Figure 4.

A particular advantage of our invention is that by means of its light holding attachment; light beams designated 29 in Figure 1, or 31 in Figure 4, may be directed at the point where the object lies, that is to be removed or recovered from a deep hole of small diameter inaccessible to the human hand; thus, saving time in finding the object and preventing its being insecurely grasped, as might otherwise be the case.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and revealed our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Grapple hook means including a tubular body, light directing means secured to the said body in a varied range of longitudinally and angularly adjustable relationships, comprising bracket clamp means adjustably securable radially and longitudinally to the said body, light source clamping bracket means secured to the said bracket clamp means so as to afford limited universal movement thereto, and light directing means directed to inaccessible places and secured to the said light source clamping bracket means for directing light rays to a focal point of operation at the free ends of the said grapple hook means.

2. Grapple hook means including a tubular body, light directing means secured to the said body in a varied range of longitudinally and angularly adjustable relationships, comprising bracket clamp means adjustably securable radially and longitudinally to the said body, light source clamping bracket means secured to the said bracket clamp means so as to afford limited universal movement thereto, and artifical light directing means directed to inaccessible place and secured to the said light source clamping bracket means for directing light rays to a focal point of operation at the free ends of the said grapple hook means.

3. Grapple hook means including a tubular body, light directing means secured to the said body in a varied range of longitudinally and angularly adjustable relationships, comprising bracket clamp means adjustably securable longitudinally to the said body, light source clamping bracket means secured to the said bracket clamp means so as to aiford limited universal movement thereto, and mirror directing means directed to inaccessible places and secured to the said light source clamping bracket means for directing the suns rays to a focal point of operation at the free ends of the said grapple hook means.

LOUIS H. GAULKE. FRED J. GAULKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 895,355 Farr Aug. 4, 1908 1,350,123 Theodore Aug. 17, 1920 1,989,443 Arnold Jan. 29, 1935 2,287,485 Pierce June 23, 1942 

